“Might as well be, as far as any good he could do. I’ll stable yore horse for yuh.”
Cultus handed him the reins and walked over to Jane, who had put aside the magazine and smiled at him. He removed his sombrero and leaned against the porch, speaking softly.
“Miss Kelton, have you got a sample of Nolan’s writin’?”
She shook her head slowly, thoughtfully.
“No, I haven’t. Why did you want a sample of his writing?”
“I can’t tell yuh right now. Would yuh recognise it, if yuh saw it?”
“I don’t believe I would.”
“Uh-huh. Hot, ain’t it?”
He drew a huge coloured handkerchief from his pocket and mopped his lean face. And with the handkerchief came a folded bit of paper, which dropped beside the porch, unseen by Cultus. Harry Kelton was coming across the patio and happened to see the piece of paper. Jane turned toward the doorway, and Cultus stepped over to a washbench. Harry leaned against the porch, until Cultus finished, and then took his place at the washbench.
And as soon as Cultus went in through the doorway to the dining-room, Harry stepped off the porch and picked up the folded paper. It only required a moment for him to read it. His eyes narrowed as he put the paper in his pocket and followed Cultus in to the dining-room.